Combined dropper and atomizer



May '3, 1938.

E. G. LEWIS COMBINED DROPPER AND ATOMIZER Filed Feb. 3, 1936 9: lINVENTOR.

ATTORN EYS Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE 2,115,959 di CODIBINED DROPPER AND ATOMIZER Edward G. Lewis, Los Angeies, Caliifi,assignor to Beverly Products Corporatio CaliL, a corporation oi! CalifoIn, Los Angeles,

Application February a, 1936, SerialNo. 62,050

'5 Claims (or 299-90) Fig. ,4 is a vertical section through the upperThis invention nelates to a dispensing container, and is a continuationin'part of my prior application entitled Dispensing container, SerialNo. 11,270, filed March 15, 1935.

While features of theinvention may be appliedin dispensing devices ofdifierent constructions, in the present application the invention isdescribed as applied to aj device fordispensing "small quantities ofmedicants; andone of. the

1 objects of the invention is to produce a device for. this purpose,having a construction which will enable it to be used as an ordinarydropper in one position of the device, and as a sprayer or atomizer whenthe same isheld in another position. This double .i'unction is verydesirable in a device of this kind when used for applying medicants inthe nostrils, because the patient in some 1 cases, may prefer toapplydrops in the nostrils, and in other cases to apply a spray or atomized2o jet of the liquid. In fact, in some cases it may be desirable toapply drops and also employ the device asanatomizer, because of the factthat the atomizing spray will carry up into the higher nasal chambersthat cannot be reached at all by means of drops merely inserted in thenostrils.

A further object of. the invention is to produce a device of this kindcapable of functioning as an atomizer anda dropper, and which is capableof being constructed at very low cost.

30 Further objects of the invention will appear hereinaften a Theinvention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to bedescribed hereinafter, all oi which contribute to produce an eflicient85 combined dropper andatomizer. t

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the 'followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims. a 1 In the drawing: l

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the device embodying my inventionillustrating a simple form of the device in which the body has a taperednozzleat its upper end- Fig. 2 is a vertical section illustratinganother embodiment of the device and showing the same in side elevation,inserted in a small vial.

1 Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig.1, and

showing the device illustrated in Fig. 2, but in an upright positionadapting it to be used as an atomizer. This embodiment of the inventioninvolves amodiiication in the construction of, the compressible bulb ofthe device, which adapts it to operate as a stopperin the vial, asillustrated in Fig; 2. p

end of the tubular body of the combined atomizer and dropper embodyingmy invention, and illustrating a modification in the construction of thebody adjacent its upper end or tip.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating anotherconstruction for the device, which adapts it to be carried in a screwcap applied to d the neck of a small viaL,

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to, Fig. 1, Iindicates a tubular body for the device, which is preferably made 01!glass or similar material, and provided atits upper end with a taperednozzle 2 at the end of which a minute delivery orifice 3 is formed. Inthe interior ofthe tapered nozzle 2 I rigidly secure a liquid tube i,the upper end of which communicates with the minute delivery orifice 3,by means of an inlet extending transversely to the length of the tube.The lower end of the tube is disposed near the bottom wall 5 of thecompressible bulb 6 that is attached to the lower end of the tube I.These bulbs are commonin droppers as now constructed, and the attachmentto the tube is usually effected by providing a rounded bead 1' at theend of the tube, over which the neck 8 of the bulb is stretched so as tomake an air-tight and liquid-tight connection. a

The use of the tube 4 in a dropper of this construction is a feature ofmy invention. In order to enable the device to operate as an atomizer,or as. a'dropper, I provide the wall of the liquid tube 4 withan inlet 9which, in the upright position otthe device illustrated in Fig. 1,communicates with the air space i0, above the liquid level, II.

, In the operation of the device illustratedin Fig. 1, when the bulb 6is squeezed the air in the air chamber 10 is more or less compressed,and liquid will, be forced up the tube. At the same time, as thisliquidpasses the inlet 9, slightly compressed air from the air chamberill will enter the liquid stream in a lateral direction,

mix with it, andthe result is that an atomizing spray will issue fromthe minute orifice 3.as indicated by the dotted lines, said sprayconsisting I of minutely divided particles of the liquid mixed with theair. The strength and extent of this atomizing spray is somewhatsurprising in practice, in view of the fact that the pressure in thecavities within the nose. It also is advantageous in case the device isemployed for spraying insecticides.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, theconstruction is modified so that instead of having an integral taperednozzle as in Fig. 1, I provide the upper end of the body I 2 with arounded tip it which is formed with a reduced neck I, which is securedin the tubular body, saidrounded tip having a minute orifice IS with asmall bore l6 into which the upper end of the liquid feed tube I may beinserted. This tip l3 may be formed of a composition capable of beingmolded, and the tube llmay be inserted before the molded tipsare cooled,whereupon th y will shrink on the tube and secure themselves rigidly toit. v

The device illustrated in Fig. 3 is also modified as to the constructionof the bulb It, .the bulb being provided with a neck iii to be stretchedover the bead 20 of the body II, the said neck l9 constituting a stopperand having a substantially conical outer face 2|, which enables it to beused as a stopper in the neck of a small vial 22, as illustrated in Fig.2. The liquid tube I l is, of course, provided with an inlet opening 23above the level of the liquid.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the upper end of the tubular body,which modification consists in forming the body with an enlargement orexpanded head 24, which is located just below the tip 25 and inthe-vicinity of the inlet 26. The purpose of this expanded head is togive an increased volume for the tube at this level, thereby assistingin keeping the level of the liquid down below the level of the inlet 26.

In Figure 5 I illustrate how the device constructed with the tip l3illustrated in Fig. 3, may be adapted for mounting it in a, screw cap 21for a small vial 28, in accordance with the method which is now in usefor securing droppers in vials. Y

It will be evident that the device can be used as an ordinary dropper ifheld in an inverted position, for the reason that the delivery orificein the tip is a minute orifice so small that air cannot pass up throughit and through liquid standing in the tube. When the device is beingused as a dropper, of course, the end of the liquid tube that is in theinterior of the bulb will be above the liquid level, but at this timethe inlet 9 or 23 through the wall of the liquid tube will be below thelevel of the liquid and will feed the liquid down so that it can beexpelled drop by drop by slightly compressing the rubber bulb 6 or I 8;

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described hereinis only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I.donot wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in theclaims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:

1. A combined atomizer and dropper device comprising the combination ofa rigid tubular body havinga minute orifice at its upper end,

and having a bulb of compressible material at its lower end, a liquidfeed tube rigidly secured at the upper end of the body so as to communicate with the orifice andextending at its lower end into the interior ofthe compressible bulb,

. said tube having a transverse inlet through its wall adjacent itsupper end located so as to be above the level of liquid held in thedevice, and opening communication between the interior of the tube andthe'-air space within the tubular body above the liquid level, saidparts cooperating when the compressible bulb is held downwardly andcompressed, so that a mixture of air and liquid will be forced throughthe orifice; said inlet also operating to admit liquid to the tube whenthe device is held with the minute orifice downward, so as to enable thedevice to operate as a dropper.

2. A combined atomizer and dropper device comprising the combination ofa rigid tubular body, a tip secured in the upper end of the body andhaving a minute orifice therethrough, a bulb of compressible material atthe lower end of the body, a liquid feed tube rigidly secured in saidtip so as to communicate with the orifice and extending at its lower endinto the interior of the compressible bulb, said tube having atransverse inlet through its wall adjacent its upper end located so asto be above the level of liquid held in the device, and openingcommunication between the interior of the tube and the air space withinthe tubular body above the liquid level, said parts cooperating when thecompressible bulb is held downwardly and compressed, so that a, mixtureof air and liquid will be forced through the orifice; said inlet alsooperating to admit liquid to the tube when the device is held with theminute orifice downward, so as to enable the device to operate as adropper.

3. A combined atomizer and dropper device comprising the combination ofa rigid tubular body, a tip secured in the upper. end of the body andhaving a minute orifice therethrough, a'bulb oi compressible material atthe lower end of the body, a liquid feed tube rigidly secured in saidtip so as to communicate with the orifice and extending at its lower endinto the interior of the compressible bulb, said tube having atransverse inlet through its wall adjacent its upper end located so asto be above the level of liquid held in the device, and openingcommunication between the interior of the tube and the air space withinthe tubular body above the liquid level, said parts cooperating when thecompressible bulb is held downwardly and compressed, so that a mixtureof air and liquid will be forced through .the orifice; said, inlet alsooperating to admit liquid to the tube when the device is held with theminute orifice downward, so as to en able the device to operate as adropper, said body having an enlarged head adjacent said tip andsurrounding the liquid tube at said inlet.

-4. A combinedatomizer and dropper device comprising the combination ofa rigid tubular body having a minute orifice at its upper end, andhaving a bulb of compressible material at its lower end, a liquid feedtube rigidly secured at the upper end of the body so as to communicatewith the orifice and extending at its lower end into the interior of thecompressible bulb, said tube having a transverse inlet through its walladjacent its upper end located so as to be above the level of liquidheld in the device, and opening communication between the interior ofthe tube and the air space within the tubular body above the liquidlevel, said parts cooperating when the compressible bulb is helddownwardly and compressed, so that a mixture of air and liquid will beforced through the orifice; said inlet also operating to admit liquid tothe tube when the device is held with the minute orifice downward, so asto enable the device to operate as a dropper, said bulb having meansassociated therewith for enabling thedevice to be on the neckoi a vial.

i 5. A combined atomiaerand dropper device comprising the combination ofa rigid tubular body having a minute orifice at its upper end and havinga bulb of compressible material at its lower end. a liquid feed tuberigidly secured at the upper end of the body so as to communicate withthe orifice and extending at its lowerend to a pointadiacent thecompressible bulb, saidtube havin: an inlet-extending through its wallfor admitting air ina transverse direction into the liquid feed tube,said inlet locatedad mim tem the upper. end of the tube so as to beabove the level of liquid held in the device, ancl' openingcommunication between the interior of the tube and the air space withinthe tubular body above the liquid level, said parts cooperat ins whenthe compressible bulb is held downwardly and compressed, so that amixture of air and liquid will be forced through the orifice;

said inlet also operating to admit liquid to the tube when the device isheld with the minute orifice downward, so as to enable the device tooperate as a dropper.

EDWARD G. e;

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